Health protection is a right for every citizen and some of the legal residents in Spain. This is why the country has a very strong public healthcare system that offers universal coverage.
As an expat, first of all, you must make sure you are eligible to get free public healthcare in Spain. This might depend on several conditions, such as your country of origin, the duration and motive of your stay or the region where you are located.
Any citizen or legal permanent resident generally has the right to access free medical attention. Nevertheless, people with non-lucrative visas and other temporary residence permits must have a private health insurance policy to enter the country.
Even though every person has the right to access healthcare in case of emergency or accident, those who are not covered have to pay for this assistance. Keep in mind that, if you do not meet the requirements and you go to a public hospital or medical centre, you will get a bill that private insurance will not be able to cover.
Understanding the basics of private health insurance in Spain
In addition to covering the needs of those who are not eligible for the public system, private health insurance in Spain offers additional services and many advantages such as faster access to medical care and specialists, choice of professionals, as well as other services and more sophisticated installations.
Key features of private health policies
- Different plans for different needs. Private health insurance providers offer a wide variety of plans that can be tailored to meet all needs, such as health insurance policies for families.
- Freedom to choose. One of the benefits of private health insurance is that you can choose your doctors, specialists, and clinics from a wide network of providers.
- Faster attention. Waiting times are usually shorter. This is crucial when you need to get the right diagnosis, and sometimes tests and specialist consultations take too long in the public system.
- Dental care coverage. Public health in Spain does not include dental coverage, but a private plan may cover some of dental services and offer special prices for most dental treatments.
Comparing private and public health insurance
Although the key features of private health policies may point out the differences between these two systems, it is useful to make a comparison between public and private health insurance regarding two main questions: accessibility and waiting times, and quality of care and facilities.
Accessibility and waiting times
Public health coverage in Spain usually includes a general practitioner (GP), emergency care, consultations with specialists, tests, surgery, hospitalization, and other services.
The main doctor and health centre are assigned depending on the place of residence of each person. This means waiting times may vary considerably depending on the region, city, and district where you live.
Usually, in the public healthcare system, if you want to visit a specialist, you have to book an appointment with your GP first, and then they decide whether your case needs to be checked by the specialist. In case they think you should visit a specialist, it might take a while for you to get an appointment, depending on the waiting list for each specialist department.
On the other hand, the cost of private health insurance in Spain is usually affordable, although it depends on each policy, insurance company, and individual case.
Access to specialists with private insurance is much easier. In fact, you can generally decide for yourself which doctor you want to see. Waiting times are shorter because the private clinics are not as crowded, and also because you can choose from a wide variety of clinics.
Quality of care and facilities
The quality of care is great both in the public and the private healthcare system, with highly trained professionals and top-quality attention and equipment.
Nevertheless, the fact that you cannot choose your hospital or clinic in the public system can mean you find more outdated facilities. It is important to note as well that most public hospitals do not offer private rooms, so if you are hospitalized you are likely to share your space. With most private insurance plans, you will have an individual room and, in some cases, you will even have the chance of having the company of a family member during your stay at the hospital.
Pre-existing conditions
Make sure you notice that, to obtain comprehensive private health insurance, you are required to fill in a medical questionnaire, and normally the cover of pre-existing conditions is excluded from the policy. Therefore, it may be complicated for people with pre-existing pathologies to have assistance at private hospitals covered by a private insurance plan. Meanwhile, public healthcare does not consider when the diagnosis was first made or when the first symptoms appeared, providing service to all patients eligible without any restrictions.
Choosing the right private health insurance plan
There are many ways to gather the right information to choose the right private health insurance plan. The market provides a lot of alternatives and it’s important to choose the plan that meets your personal requirements and preferences in terms of cover, list of collaborating hospitals, and budget. Some of the most well-known private insurance providers in Spain which offer quality solutions are DKV Seguros, AXA, Adeslas, Sanitas, Asisa, Mapfre, Allianz, Salus and AEGON.
The easiest way to make the right choice is to work with a trustworthy insurance broker that understands both the market and your needs. If you are interested in getting private insurance or you still have some doubts regarding your specifics, our team of experts will be glad to help you find the plan that meets all your needs.
